


Blank Slates

by PriTheWriter



Series: Pri's Dragon Age Fics [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2020-05-14 13:57:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19274728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PriTheWriter/pseuds/PriTheWriter
Summary: She remembers nothing, not even her own name. She woke up in the middle of a war, chaos raining down upon her. Amid all this, she struggles to bring order while also seeking her lost memories. She does not know if she is innocent or guilty, or if she will succeed or fail. But she will try, and she will survive.





	1. Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> Never thought I'd write a Solvellan fic, but here I am. Hope y'all enjoy!

An explosion, then darkness, until she awoke to find herself in a strange place, veiled in shadow and smoke. An eerie green light was cast over her surroundings, similar to the light coming from a mark on her palm. The woman sat up first, glancing at her surroundings, before standing and looking around to see a blinding golden light coming from a woman’s figure atop a hill.

Slowly, she made her way up the hill, pausing when she heard noises behind her. Looking back, she saw shadows of men in armor, their eyes glowing a sickly green from the slits in their helmets, running after her. She took off then, struggling up the steep incline of the hill. Looking up, she saw the woman of light hold out a hand to her, and reaching out, she took it.

Darkness, once more. Later she awoke, her hands chained and the mark of green light sparking and shooting off small bolts of energy that caused her to gasp and shout out in surprise and pain. She only got a brief, glancing look at the room around her- some sort of dungeon perhaps, with guards brandishing swords at her- before a door slammed open in front of her slammed open and two human women walked in.

The first, dressed in a breastplate with an image of an eye embellished upon it, approached her first, circling around her like a lioness stalking her prey. The second, a hooded woman dressed in chainmail and leathers, stopped in front of her to glare down at her while the armored woman leaned down to say to her, “Tell me why we shouldn’t kill you now.”

She walked around her, continuing on, “The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is _dead_. Except for you.”

Conclave? What conclave? And what- what was going on here? The woman felt her mind race suddenly, coming upon the slow realization that she lacked any memories of a conclave… or anything at all. Before she could voice her questions, the armored woman snatched her hands up and demanded as her mark sparked with energy, “Explain _this_.”

“I… I can’t. I don’t know what this is, what happened to the conclave, or even… or even who I am. Please, I don’t-” She started to explain, when the woman suddenly pounced on her, grabbing her roughly by the shoulders as she exclaimed, “ _You’re lying!_ ”

The hooded woman quickly stepped in quickly, pulling the woman away as she said, “We need her, Cassandra.”

She thought then, having a second to, trying to remember _anything_ . What had happened, how she had acquired this mark, _who she was_. But nothing came to her; no memories at all, not even a name. The hooded woman turned to her and asked her, “Do you truly remember nothing? Not even who you are, or what happened at the Conclave?”

“No, no I don’t. I swear to you, it’s the truth.” She explained, then a thought came to her, a memory.

“Wait. Wait, I do remember something. I was… I was running. There were things chasing me, men made of shadows, and then… a woman? Yes, a woman was holding her hand out to me, and then… nothing. That’s all I remember, I swear.” The woman insisted. The hooded woman seemed fascinated by that, questioning, “A woman?”

But the other woman, Cassandra, ushered her away from their prisoner and told her, “Go to the forward camp Leliana. I will take her to the rift.”

After Leliana left, Cassandra came to kneel in front of her, unlocking her chains and replacing them with ropes instead. As she did, the woman asked, “What _did_ happen?”

“It will… be easier to show you.” Cassandra answered as she helped her up, before leading her through the dungeon or basement of a building and up into the ground floor, then outside. There, blinking in the sudden harsh light, she looked up at the sky and saw a massive tear in the sky, green light and comets pouring out of it. Even with no memories of the world, she was fairly sure that wasn’t normal.

“We call it “The Breach.” It is a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour.” Cassandra explained to her, having seen her shocked expression. She blinked a bit, then asked, confused, “The world of demons?”

“ _Yes_ , the Fade,” Cassandra said with a scowl that suggested she still didn’t believe the whole amnesia thing, then continued, “The Breach is not the only such rift, just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave.”

“An explosion can _do_ that?” She asked, incredulous. Cassandra turned from where she had been looking up at the Breach and replied, “This one did. Unless we act, the Breach may grow until it swallows the world.”

Before she could continue, the Breach crackled, an impossibly loud boom rumbling across the valley as arcs of light or energy lit up the sky. Simultaneously, the mark sparked and intense pain shot up her arm, white-hot and agonizing. Letting out a shout of pain, the woman dropped to her knees against the snow and dirt, grasping her arm tightly. Cassandra knelt down beside her, explaining calmly, “Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads… and it _is_ killing you. It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn’t much time.”

“No memories, a hole in the sky, and a glowing mark on my hand that’s killing me. All in all, not the best day I think.” The woman responded sarcastically. It appeared she had a bit of a morbid humor. Cassandra glared more at her- she didn’t even know it was possible for her to look even meaner- so she quickly added, “I-I’m more than willing to help. A hole into the world of demons doesn’t sound very good for one’s health after all. I’m just not sure what I can do, what _this_ can do.”

She gestured with the mark, and Cassandra responded, looking slightly less mad, “It may be able to close the Breach, and the rifts like it. Whether that is true or not is something we will discover shortly. It is our only chance, however. And yours.”

With that, she helped her up, and together they started to head out of the village. As they went, she saw dozens of angry and frightened men and women, all staring at her with either rage or fear. Cassandra explained as they walked, “They have decided your guilt. They need it. The people mourn our Most Holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry. The Conclave was hers. It was a chance for peace between mages and templars. She brought their leaders together. Now, they are dead.”

Mages? Templars? Chantry? The words seemed foreign and familiar all at once like her ears and tongue were used to hearing or saying them, but her mind could not recall what they were. It was a strange feeling, to say the least. But instead of voicing these things to Cassandra, the woman stayed silent, seeing as she didn’t believe her anyway.

They eventually reached a gatehouse, and a guard pushed open the gates as soon as Cassandra and she approached, revealing a bridge leading out to the rest of the mountain. As they walked through, Cassandra continued, “We lash out, like the sky. But we must beyond ourselves, as she did, until the Breach is sealed.”

Suddenly she raised her arm in front of the woman, stopping her as she drew a knife from her belt. She became worried until Cassandra cut the ropes binding her wrists, freeing her as she said, “There will be a trial. I can promise no more. Come, it is not far.”

“What’s not far?” She asked as she rubbed her wrists where the rope had been, confused. Cassandra turned away to face forward, then replied, “Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach.”

“Right…” She murmured as they walked across the bridge, full of soldiers and panicking villagers, as well as… corpses. Many corpses. As they passed the gates, the woman asked Cassandra, “So… you mentioned a trial? Does that mean that everyone thinks I caused the explosion?”

“Most likely. The ones who do not have likely not heard yet.” Cassandra answered tersely. Well, that was just wonderful, wasn’t it?

“Does that mean _you_ think I’m guilty too?” She questioned. Cassandra shot her a glare over her shoulder, then responded, “I do, yes. Why? Have I not made that perfectly clear?”

Gulping quietly, she murmured, “No, no, you have. Just… checking.”

They remained silent for the rest of the way mostly, apart from the occasional comment about the Breach or the fight up ahead, until they reached another bridge. Just as they stepped on it, a comet from the Breach came rocketing down, destroying the bridge and sending Cassandra and her prisoner falling onto the frozen lake below. As she began to regain her senses, she looked up to see another comet fall, and from where it dissipated, some… _thing_ emerged. It was hideous, a monstrous thing with an unnatural frame and hood that seemed connected to its flesh, it’s one eye burning with malice as it clawed the air.

Cassandra immediately lept into action, attacking the monster with her sword while simultaneously keeping it back with her shield. The woman, meanwhile, was content to let her fight, but saw the ground near her start to glow, like before the first monster appeared. Frantically, she looked around for some kind of weapon, and upon spotting a long, wooden staff with a curved blade on the end, something clicked inside her mind. Acting on instincts alone, she leaped to grab the staff as a monster appeared before her, twirling the staff just in time to produce a ball of flame that knocked the creature back. After a few more bursts of fire, the creature died, falling to the ground as it evaporated into smoke.

Right as her opponent fell, Cassandra’s did as well, and she started to approach when Cassandra suddenly turned on her, aiming her blade at her chest as she ordered, “Drop your weapon. _Now_.”

Frightened and unsure of what else to do, she quickly dropped the staff, saying, “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t- something in me just knew to grab it. I-I didn’t know it could shoot fire, I swear!”

Cassandra looked confused for a second, then frowned and huffed quietly as she sheaved her sword, saying, “It did not shoot fire. You did. You merely cast your mana through the staff to focus it into a specific attack. Something all _mages_ can do.”

“I… I’m a mage?” She asked, shocked. She was learning more and more about herself with every passing moment. Cassandra made a disgusted noise, then exclaimed, “Yes, you are! Stop acting like a fool! You know who and what you are, so act like it!”

“I-I don’t, really! I swear, before now I had no idea I could do any of that! I don’t know who I am, or what happened at the Conclave, or if I’m actually innocent or not!” She shouted. She stopped, then, processing what she said. She… she really _wasn’t_ sure if she was innocent or not. For all she knew, she planned this all and all of this chaos… the deaths… they were her fault. As her mind reeled with this new information, Cassandra seemed to see what she was saying was true, at least somewhat. After hesitating for a moment, she said, “Pick up the staff. You’re going to need it if we’re to survive the hike up the mountain.”

She was surprised and hesitated for a moment before picking up the staff. It felt… odd, but right at the same time. With a slight smile and a nod to Cassandra, they continued on, fighting a number of different creatures. Cassandra explained that the more solid ones were demons, while the ones made of light were wisps of spirits. After trekking up a large hill, the duo came upon a larger fight up ahead, with several soldiers fighting off a host of demons surrounding a crystalline structure floating in the air, the sunlight glinting off its dark green surface. She and Cassandra quickly joined the fray, with the warrior rushing in while she stayed back, providing support from afar. Soon the demons fell, and a bald elf- she wasn’t sure how her brain knew what he was- suddenly ran up to her and shouted, “Quickly, before more come through!”

With that, he grabbed her wrist and thrust it upwards towards the crystal, which shattered and produced a shimmering portal of light. Then, the mark shot out an arc of green lightning, connecting with the portal and somehow _sealing it_. Amazed, she blinked in shock as the elf released her hand and she asked, “What did you do?”

“ _I_ did nothing. The credit is yours.” The elf said simply. Glancing down at the mark, she said, “... Huh. Well, at least it’s good for something.”

“Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach’s wake- and it seems I was correct.” The elf explained. Cassandra approached them and said, “Meaning it could also close the Breach itself.”

“Possibly,” the elf said, then looked to the woman and said, “It seems you hold the key to our salvation.”

Oh great. No pressure at all, nope. Before she could dive into an existential crisis, another voice spoke up from behind them, “Good to know!”

Turning, she saw the voice belonged to a dwarf- seriously, how does she know these things- wielding a crossbow who approached as he continued, “I thought we’d be ass-deep in demons forever. Varric Tethras: rogue, storyteller, and occasional unwelcome tagalong.”

He winked at Cassandra after that last bit, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw her sneer at the dwarf, who simply smiled charmingly.

“Um- pleased to meet you, Tethras. I’m uh… well, I don’t actually know.” He said with an awkward shrug. Varric raised an eyebrow and asked with an incredulous chuckle, “I’m sorry, what?”

The elf, as well, seemed surprised, then frowned a bit as he asked, “Could you clarify, please?”

“The prisoner _claims_ to have no memories. At all. Nothing before she woke up in the dungeon of Haven.” Cassandra explained for her as she looked away, holding her staff tightly while rubbing a worry groove into the wood. Varric whistled lowly and said, “Well… shit. Is that true kid?”

“Yeah, yeah it is. I really don’t remember anything, honest. So I, uh, don’t really have a name you can call me by.” She said with a shrug. The elf seemed to think for a moment, then said, “Well, perhaps we could… name you, I suppose. Give you a temporary name until your memories return. Would you like that?”

Before she could respond, Cassandra interrupted, “We can do this later, can’t we? The Breach-”

“The Breach can wait, Seeker, this kid needs a name! Now, I’ve got a few ones. How about something like Joyce, or Rose? How about Violet, you seem like a Violet sort of girl.” Varric supplied. While Cassandra glared daggers at Varric, the elf suggested, “If you will, Master Tethras, perhaps she would prefer an elven name? She is an elf after all.”

“I’m an elf?” She blurted out suddenly in surprise. The group went silent for a moment, staring at her in shock before Varric burst out in laughter he tried and failed to keep in.

“Andraste's dimpled buttcheeks- shit, sorry- oh Maker that’s not funny at all but holy nugshit-” Varric coughed out in between his laughs. She felt her cheeks reddened, as well as her pointed ears- ah, well there they are.

“I-in my defense, I thought I was short and it’s so cold I can’t feel my ears.” She explained, which only made Varric laugh harder until Cassandra swung a fist at him, which he dodged quickly. As they bickered, the other elf got her attention and said, “If I may, Lethallan, I believe you may like the name Varla. In elvhen, it means, “our hope.” Or perhaps Ashara, “she who is on a great journey,””

He trailed off, frowning for a moment with an unreadable expression in his eyes. Before she could ask, he spoke up again, “Nadiya. It… well, it does not mean anything in elven, but it is a fairly common name in alienages, I’ve heard.”

Nadiya… Na-di-ya… Nadiya. Something about the name… it seemed right. After a moment, she- _Nadiya_ nodded and said, “Yes, yes I think that will do. Thank you…?”

“Solas. You may call me Solas.” He supplied with an easy smile.

“Thank you, Solas.” Nadiya said, smiling back at Solas. She turned to look at Cassandra and Varric, who were still bickering, and said, “I’ve picked a name now. You can call me Nadiya.”

Varric stopped mid snark and turned to smile at Nadiya, saying, “Well that’s great, right Seeker? Means we can get going now.”

Casting one last glare at Varric, Cassandra let out a sigh and said, “Yes, it does. Come, we still have a ways until the temple.”

 


	2. Facades

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to split the first chapter in two, sorry for any confusion!

And so they lead on, eventually coming upon a gated bridge where Leliana and a Chantry clerk were arguing. The clerk, Roderick, wanted Nadiya arrested immediately, but Cassandra would not allow it. She knew the Seeker still doubted her innocence- she did as well, somewhat- but it was nice to see her stick up for her. The group debated over what path to take up to the ruins of the temple, stuck between the safer mountain path or the quicker valley path. Ultimately, Cassandra left the decision up to Nadiya, shocking everyone. After a moment of hesitation, she chose the mountain path, seeing as how safety was key in their current situation. So they took the path and, after encountering and saving a lost patrol, reached the smoking ruins of the Temple of Sacred Ashes.

As she walked through the remains, Nadiya thought about how she had stood here once, memories intact and whole. Now, she had only fragments of a life and a false name. That and the mark, and an accusation of mass murder hanging over her. Shaking off her thoughts, Nadiya kept walking, trying not to look at the burning corpses, frozen in a moment of pure terror.

The group walked on to a balcony that oversaw the Breach: a massive rift that lead up to the heavens, splitting the sky apart. As she stared up at the Breach, Nadiya heard a voice behind her call out, “You’re here! Thank the Maker.”

Turning around, Nadiya saw that it was the rogue, Leliana. Behind her was a contingent of soldiers and scouts, and Cassandra ordered them, “Leliana, have your men take up positions around the Temple.”

With a nod, Leliana and her men left to do so, and Cassandra turned to Nadiya to ask, “This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?”

“I think I would be lying if I said yes, but I suppose I’m ready to try.” Nadiya answered; it was the truth, and the best she had to offer. Cassandra nodded, and as she looked up at the Breach, Nadiya wondered how she would even begin to close it. Seeming to read her thoughts, Solas explained, “This Rift was the first, and it is the key. Seal it, and perhaps we seal the Breach.”

“Then let’s find a way down, and be careful.” Cassandra ordered. Nadiya nodded, then started off around the ruins of the temple. She glanced around, seeing the bones of the ancient building and marks of the Breach, but was startled out of her investigation when she heard a booming voice echo around herself, “Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice.”

“What are we hearing?” Cassandra asked, voicing the question everyone was thinking. Solas answered her, calmly even though his brows were furrowed with concern, “At a guess: the person who created the Breach.”

The thought that they were hearing the memory of the moment just before the explosion was unnerving to say the least, but Nadiya’s mind was temporarily distracted upon spotting large, red crystals that seemed to glow and emit a cloud of… something. It also felt… wrong, or sick. It was hard to describe. But as Nadiya stepped closer to examine the cluster of crystals, she was held back by Varric, who said, “Watch out. That shit is evil. Whatever you do, don’t touch it.”

Nadiya stepped away then, looking over the red crystals cautiously. Varric seemed to look at Cassandra with concern after, and said to her in a worried tone, “You know this is red lyrium, Seeker.”

“I see it, Varric.” Cassandra stated bluntly. Varric frowned a bit more and continued, “Yes, but what’s it doing here?”

“I’m sorry, but what is lyrium and why is the red one bad?” Nadiya asked in confusion. She would heed Varric’s warning but wanted to know more about this apparently dangerous substance and why it worried Varric so. Cassandra scoffed at her and kept walking, but Varric tried to explain, “It’s hard to explain, but basically lyrium is this magical substance. Normal lyrium is dangerous enough, the red… it’s a million times worse. But it shouldn’t even be here.”

“Magic could have drawn on lyrium beneath the temple, corrupted it.” Solas suggested. Varric didn’t seem to like that notion very much, but they kept on towards the base of the rift. As they walked on, another round of voices spoke out from all around them, “Keep the sacrifice still.”

“Someone help me!” A woman’s voice cried out in response. At hearing the voice, Cassandra stopped dead in her tracks before she said, her voice filled with more emotion Nadiya had known the woman capable of, “That was Divine Justina’s voice!”

With that they quickened their pace, soon finding themselves at a drop. Glancing at her entourage first, Nadiya nodded to them before dropping down to the base of the Temple. As the others followed, she stepped forward hesitantly, staring at the rift and the Breach high above. Suddenly, the mark on Nadiya’s hand began to spark, and he heard the voices once more. It was the woman, who Cassandra claimed was Divine Justina, crying out again, “Someone help me!”

Suddenly, something began to happen in front of the rift. The air pulsed and shifted somehow, and a bright light erupted out. Blinking from the shock and light, Nadiya opened her eyes to see… something before her, a vision of sorts. A quick glance to the others told her they saw it too, and she was not simply hallucinating. The vision showed a figure of shadows, with bright red eyes alight with malice and clawed hands. In front of it was an old woman in red and white robes, held in place by red tendrils of magic. And then, she saw another woman, an elf this time, stumble into the room, looking surprised and even a little afraid. The old woman, whose voice Cassandra had identified as Divine Justinia, looked to the elven woman and cried out, “Run while you still can! Warn them!”

The woman began to back away, but the figure of shadows pointed to her and commanded invisible servants, “We have an intruder. Slay the elf!”

Then the rift flashed again, and the vision disintegrated. Nadiya blinked in shock, then looked to the others, who seemed to also be in varying degrees of shock and surprise. The silence was broken by Cassandra, who exclaimed in shock and anger, “You  _were_ there! Who attacked? And the Divine, is she…? Was this vision true? What are we seeing?”

“Wait, that was me?” Nadiya asked in shock. It was a valid reaction, she realized she didn’t even know what she looked like. Which was… strange, and sad, in a way. It was, however, the wrong reaction in Cassandra’s opinion, something that became apparent once the Lady Seeker grabbed Nadiya by the lapel of her leather coat, dragging her up to eye level as she demanded, “Stop this charade at once! I will have the truth out of you. You know what happened, so tell me!”

“Seeker Cassandra! This rage is understood, but wholly uncalled for. Can you not see that the young woman is terrified? Even if she did remember what happened, do you honestly believe she would tell you now?” Solas reasoned, stepping up to Cassandra and Nadiya. The former took a moment to look over the latter, who was indeed terrified. Obviously frustrated but not unreasonable, Cassandra dropped Nadiya and asked, “Do you remember this?”

“... No, I don’t. I wish I did, I swear. I want to know what happened here, what happened to me, just as much as you do.” Nadiya swore. Cassandra did not seem happy with that answer, but she accepted it, nonetheless. Solas moved away then, looking towards the Breach, and he explained, “I believe that with the Mark, the rift can be opened, and then sealed properly and safely. However, opening the rift will likely attract attention from the other side.”

“That means demons. Stand ready!” Cassandra ordered the men on the walls and nearby. Solas looked to Nadiya then, and asked her, “Are you ready?”

 _No,_ she thought, but gave him a nod instead. Once the soldiers were well and prepared, Nadiya stepped up to the rift and thrust out her hand towards it. It was strange, still, to open and close a rift. Not like her magic, but not unlike it either. She felt the energy course through her before shooting forth and striking the crystalline rift, and that is when she heard it: the roar of something monstrous.

Glancing over her shoulder, Nadiya saw a giant, hulking monster- a demon, she assumed, appearing out of thin air. She saw it face the troops and wanted nothing more than to run to them and help, but Nadiya knew if she turned away now they would be doomed. So she waited, and once the rift was opened, the elven mage turned her ire down upon the demon.

The battle was long and hard; on top of the massive demon that first appeared, a multitude of smaller demons and shades appeared, assaulting those who were not the focus of the main monster. And Nadiya was at the center of it all, switching between fighting off smaller demons, the larger one, and dealing with the Breach. Remarkable for anyone, amazing for someone with no memory of combat.

But soon the demons fell, and Nadiya was able to focus her attention on the rift. Casting her hand out, she attempted to seal the rift, pouring every ounce of magic and effort into it. But, something was wrong- even she could tell that- and a crystal began to form inside the rift before shatter, shooting up a bolt of energy into the Breach. Nadiya dropped to her knees, suddenly exhausted, and only just looked up in time to see the bolt hit, and a second later, cause a massive explosion within the Breach. Her vision went white, then faded to black as she fell unconscious, distantly hearing worried and relieved shouting around her.

Again, darkness enveloped Nadiya. But, it was different this time. There was light all around her, but it was as if her eyes were shut. She could tell it was there, she just couldn’t see. She heard things, as well, whispers on the edge of her senses. Then, a familiar sounding voice, speaking in a tongue she did not know. He sounded calm at first, but slowly started to sound more and more worried, until there was an evident panic in his tone. She couldn’t place his voice, but for some reason, she wanted nothing more than to calm him, to hug him even. But the voice quieted after a moment, and then the whispers and light receded. Nadiya attempted to chase after them, but that only resulted in her falling out of bed.

As she fell to the ground with a quiet gasp of shock and pain, Nadiya scrambled to sit up and get her senses together. Still reeling from sleep and her dreams, she looked around at her surroundings to ground her to reality. She found herself in a small cabin, furnished modestly but fine, and a window across from her revealed a view of the snowy landscape outside. Perhaps the village she passed through, then? Before Nadiya could investigate further, she heard a door open and a second later, something crashed to the floor, and she jumped up to find another elf, looking absolutely terrified.

“I-I didn’t know you were awake, I swear!” The young woman exclaimed, backing up nervously. Nadiya blinked in confusion for a moment, then tried to calm the girl, “It’s alright. Please, can you tell me-”

Before she could finish speaking, the elven girl had dropped to her knees and was apologizing profusely, “I beg your forgiveness and your blessing. I am but a humble servant.”

Uh… yeah, Nadiya was pretty sure that wasn’t normal.

“You’re back in Haven, my Lady. They say you saved us. The Breach stopped growing, just like the mark on your hand.” The girl explained. A quick glance to her hand showed that she was telling the truth; the mark had indeed stopped its growth.

“It’s all anyone has talked about for the last 3 days!” The girl added. It was a lot to process, that was for sure. Nadiya weighed the pros and cons in her mind. Pros: the Breach and the mark had stopped growing, the people seemed happy with her, and she was alive. Cons: the Breach was still there, she had been out for 3 days, and she still had no memories. Huh. 3 for 3.

“Well, I suppose that’s a start.” Nadiya said with a shrug. Before she could ask the girl any more questions or thank her, she scrambled up to her feet and started to back away to the door, saying, “I’m certain Lady Cassandra would want to know you’ve awakened. She said, “at once.””

“And where is she?” Nadiya asked, a bit surprised Cassandra asked to see her and not have her dragged out in chains. The servant girl quickly responded, “In the Chantry, with the Lord Chancellor. “At once” she said.”

With that she ran off, leaving Nadiya bewildered and confused. Frowning a bit, Nadiya inspected her room again- it was a small cabin with some modest furnishings, a desk and chair, some barrels of supplies, a cabinet, the bed she had fallen out of, and two windows. One of which she saw a girl in, starring at her. It wasn’t until she noticed the bed behind her in the window that she realized the window was a mirror, and that the girl inside it was her.

Nadiya felt her breath stolen away from her as she approached the mirror, examining the foreign face of hers as she did. Dark tan skin, a myriad of dark freckles across her cheeks and nose. Eyes as green as the Breach, with flecks of emerald in them. Pointed ears on either side of her head, which twitched when Nadiya focused on them. Her hair was down, hanging below her shoulders, and dark, almost black, but looked to be the color of walnut trees. How she knew what the color of walnut trees was, she couldn’t say.

Once she was satisfied with her investigation, Nadiya moved away from the mirror. She saw someone had set out some clothes for her, something more suitable for the cold than the simple cotton shirt and pants she had on now. After getting dressed, Nadiya headed out, blinking in the harsh light of the day reflecting off the snow around her. As her vision adjusted, she noticed villagers and soldiers scattered about, all stopped and turned to her in some sort of salute.

It was bewildering to see, quite honestly. Not a day- or a few days really- ago, these people were ready to see her hang. Now they were saluting her. Unsure of where to go, she approached one of the soldiers and asked where the Chantry was. The young man pointed out a large building closer to the mountains, red banners flying high above its wall. Nadiya thanked the man, then headed off to the building, glancing around at the village and its inhabitants as she went.

The building itself was enormous and impressive-looking. She recalled it was the same building she had originally woken up in as she pushed open its doors. Inside was a foyer lit with candles and decorated with banners of red with a golden sun emblazoned on them, as well as statues of figures she didn’t recognize. As she walked further into the hall, Nadiya began to hear yelling coming from one of the doors in front of her.

“Have you gone completely mad? She should be taken to Val Royeaux immediately, to be tried by whomever becomes Divine!” A man’s voice- she soon recognized it as belonging to Chancellor Roderick, from the bridge- shouted, indignant and furious. Well, so much for not wanting to hang her.

“I do not believe she is guilty.” Seeker Cassandra’s voice stated with a certainty in her voice that stopped Nadiya in her tracks. Cassandra… believed her? It was shocking, to say the least. The woman who had been so sure of her guilt was now defending her innocence.

“The elf failed, Seeker. The Breach is still in the sky. For all you know, she intended this way.” Chancellor Roderick argued with the Seeker. His words twisted her gut, planted seeds of doubt in her mind. She still wasn’t sure if she  _was_ innocent, but the Seeker seemed convinced, countering Roderick, “I do not believe that.”

“That is not for you to decide. Your duty is to serve the Chantry!” Chancellor Roderick replied, sternly. The Chantry, that was the organization Cassandra and the others worked for, the leader of which had died at the Conclave. Nadiya had pieced that together from listening to Cassandra, but she still wasn’t sure if it was a religious or political organization. Perhaps it was both.

“My duty is to serve the principles on which the Chantry were founded, Chancellor. As is yours.” Cassandra said, sounding very different from the raging woman she had seen before. Time had calmed her some, it seemed. Once she reached the door, Nadiya took a breath to calm her nerves before she pushed it open, stepping inside to find Cassandra, Leliana, and Chancellor huddled around a large table, arguing. As soon as she stepped inside, all eyes turned to her, and Chancellor Roderick ordered the soldiers standing by the door, “Chain her. I want her prepared for travel to the capital for trial.”

“Disregard that, and leave us.” Cassandra countered, and the men nodded to her and left. Roderick turned his glare onto Cassandra then, saying, “You walk a dangerous line, Seeker.”

“The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat. I will not ignore it.” Cassandra declared, challenging Roderick’s glare with one of her own. Nadiya stepped up to the table then, asking, “Is there any way I can seal the Breach?”

“Perhaps. We will have to look over our options first.” Cassandra explained. Roderick didn’t like that all, it seemed, because he slammed his hands down on the table and exclaimed, “You will do no such thing!”

Leliana stepped in then, having been standing back to let the Seeker and the Chancellor bicker back and forth, and said, “Someone was behind the explosion at the conclave. Someone Most Holy did not expect. Perhaps they died with the others- or have allies who yet live.”

She gave Roderick a pointed glare, compelling him to reply in shock and offense, “ _I_ am a suspect?”

“You and many others.” Leliana confirmed.

“But  _not_ the prisoner.” Roderick argued, glaring daggers at Nadiya. She shifted nervously under his scrutinizing glare; honestly, she wasn’t even sure if she was guilty or not, and all of this deliberation was doing nothing to calm her. But then Cassandra spoke up in defense of her, once again, “I heard the voices at the Temple. The Divine called to her for help.”

“So her survival, that  _thing_ on her hand- all a coincidence?” Roderick questioned. Cassandra simply shook her head and proclaimed, “Providence. The Maker sent to us in our darkest hour.”

“Wait, hold on. Who or what is this maker and how did they send me to you?” Nadiya asked suddenly, earning herself stares that varied between anger, surprise, and curiosity. She felt her cheeks redden under their gazes as Leliana explained, “The Maker is the maker of our world, and every living thing in it. It is by His hand Cassandra believes you were guided to us.”

“So you think I’m some sort of- what- chosen one?” Nadiya asked Cassandra in disbelief.

“I did not say that. I believe you were sent to the Conclave and guided to that moment by the Maker, anything more has yet to be seen. But no matter what any of us believe, you are exactly what we needed when we needed it.” Cassandra explained, before turning away to grab something from the table behind her. Leliana spoke up then, stating, “The Breach remains, and your mark is still our only hope of closing it.”

“That is  _not_ for you to decide.” Roderick argued, but was interrupted when Cassandra slammed a heavy tome onto the table before them. She pointed at it, a thick book cased in brown leather and metal with the symbol of an eye at the center of a sun on the cover, and said, “You know what this is, Chancellor. A writ from the Divine, granting us the authority to act. As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn.”

She turned to the Chancellor then, and with a fiery glare in her eyes, paced towards him as she said, gesturing angrily at him with each word, “We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore order. With or without your approval.”

Chancellor Roderick looked shocked at first, then angry-  _very_ angry. He gave them all one last withering glare, then stormed out of the room. Nadiya blinked in shock for a moment, then looked to Cassandra and Leliana and asked, “What just happened?”

It was Leliana who responded as Cassandra paced away, “We have just declared the Inquisition’s rebirth and beginning. It is something the Divine had planned to enact if the conclave failed to bring order. It is her writ we follow. Her directive is this: rebuild the Inquisition of old. Find those who will stand against the chaos. We aren’t ready. We have no leader, no numbers, and now no Chantry support.”

“But we have no choice: we must act now. With you at our side.” Cassandra said, turning to look at Nadiya. She was surprised at first, but thought about it for a second, then asked, “You’re going to try to help people? To close the Breach? Then I’ll help, however I can.”

“Thank you.” Cassandra said, serious but sincere, and held out a hand for Nadiya to shake. She took it, and smiled at Cassandra. As they pulled away, Nadiya held up her hand and said, “However, I do have a few questions. What is the Inquisition and the Chantry, why exactly was the conclave called, and what else do I need to know about the world?”

Leliana and Cassandra looked confused for a moment, then Cassandra, “Wait, were you not lying when you said you had no memories? I thought that was a ruse.”

“No, I was telling the truth! I honestly have no memory before I woke up in the dungeon.” Nadiya swore, surprised that Cassandra had believed she was innocent but not that she had no memories. She and Leliana shared a look, then Leliana nodded and said, “I will see about tutors being brought in. For now, we should have the sisters and any mage adept at healing take a look at you, to see if there is any reason behind your memory loss.”

“Oh, thank you. Wait, what sort of tutors?” Nadiya asked in confusion. Leliana shrugged and answered, “The basic sort, history, arithmetic, language, those sorts of things. Plus some combat trainers and possibly an enchanter, if we can find one. Perhaps Solas can teach you for now, until we can make contact with the mage rebellion.”

A bit overwhelmed, Nadiya stared at Leliana until Cassandra cleared her throat and said, “For what it is worth, I apologize for not believing you sooner. That was unwise of me to do.”

“Oh, it’s fine. I can understand the caution.”

“I promise you, if it can be done, we will restore your memories.”

“... Thank you.”


	3. Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update everyone! Life has been pretty hectic for me lately. My summer college courses are wrapping up and I'm currently living with my grandma to care of her after her back surgery. But hopefully, I should be able to get on a reliable schedule now!

Nadiya walked out of the Chantry feeling an uncertain mix of emotions. On one hand, she was relieved that they had managed to stop the Breach from growing and that she was safe in the Inquisition. On the other, she was still unsure about a great many things, including her supposed guilt or innocence. As she pondered these things, Nadiya walked aimlessly, eventually stopping by what she assumed was the tavern and some of the cottages. From there, she could see a familiar elf standing by one of the houses, speaking with a runner.

“Oh, what was his name… Solas! Hello!” Nadiya called out to the elf, who looked over with a smile and a wave. He spoke with the runner for a moment as Nadiya approached, the agent leaving as she reached them. Smiling at Solas, Nadiya said, “Hello again, Solas. I’m glad you’re okay.”

Solas chuckled a bit, then replied, “I feel like it should be me saying that, Lethallan. You do feel well, yes? Any improvement on your memories?”

“I’m well physically, but my memories are still gone, unfortunately.” Nadiya answered with a frown. Solas frowned as well, asking, “So it was not a ruse, as the Seeker thought it was?”

“No. Did you think it was?” Nadiya asked, raising a brow. Solas shrugged his shoulders a bit, replying, “I admit, a part of me considered it… You truly remember nothing, then? Nothing at all about who you are, who you were before the Conclave?”

“No, I don’t. I wish I did but… there’s just nothing.” Nadiya sighed, saddened by the loss of her memories. It gnawed at her, infuriated her, that she could recall nothing of her past. As far as her belongings, they didn’t give her many clues either. When the Inquisition scouts found her, Nadiya was dressed simply in servant’s clothes, the origins of it untraceable.

“Ir abelas, Nadiya. I did not mean to cause you distress.” Solas said sincerely, worry written across his features. Nadiya smiled in thanks and replied, “It’s alright, Solas. No apologies are necessary.”

Something in Solas’s eyes shifted, then, and he asked, “Wait, did you understand that? Ir abelas?”

“... Yes? Why wouldn’t I?” Nadiya asked, confused. To her, his words were plain and simple to understand. But Solas seemed shocked as he replied, “Because that was Elvhen, a language only a small few know. If you understand that…  _ Do you understand this as well _ ?” 

“I do. Was that Elvhen as well?”

“It was.”

“What does this mean?”

“It means, Lethallan, that we have a clue about your past.” 

* * *

The clue ended up only complicating matters further. Her associates couldn’t understand how she knew Elvhen if she was not Dalish- evident from her lack of facial tattoos, apparently- since city elves only knew limited phrases and words and not the entire alphabet, like Nadiya apparently did. It confused and bewildered all her scholars, who varied from understanding and kind to harsh and judgmental. 

They taught her about history, politics, mathematics, language, and magic. Some- like mathematics and language- Nadiya proved to be knowledgeable about, but when it came to history and politics, she was all but lost without her tutors. They tried to teach her about religion, but Solas insisted to just teach her the basics of the Chant, as she may prove to be Dalish after all. Cassandra agreed, reluctantly, and the Chantry sisters taught her briefly on their religion.

Solas also handled her magical training, which turned out to be frustrating. For whatever reason, Nadiya could wield magic in a fight just fine, but if she tried to focus and do it in practice, she struggled. Which would have been fine, except at the moment her magic was unpredictable and could cause an injury, so it wasn’t fine at all.

“Focus, Lethallan. Pull energy from the Fade and create the flame.” Solas instructed Nadiya calmly. She had her hands held out, cupped as though waiting to hold something. Trying to pull from the land of dreams and demons, Nadiya attempted to will a flame to life between her hands. A minute of focusing passed… “Nothing. Solas, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”

“It is alright, Nadiya. You just need to focus-” Solas tried to say, but was cut off by a frustrated Nadiya, “I  _ am  _ focusing!”

Right as she said that, she spread out her arms in exasperation, casting a ball of fire out into the snow nearby. This only elicited a frustrated groan from Nadiya, however, as it proved she had magical capabilities, but no focus or control. Solas merely hummed quietly, thinking something over in his mind. Finally, he spoke, “Perhaps we need to come at this problem from a different angle.”

After seeing Nadiya’s confused look, he explained, “Perhaps some training in the Fade could make it easier to cast spells.”

“In the Fade? But I thought we could only dream in the Fade?” Nadiya asked. Solas nodded and replied, “Yes and no. Non-mages can only dream in the Fade and are not aware of their situation unless contacted by a mage in their dreams or brought into the Fade via powerful magic. Us mages, however, are able to travel there in our sleep and remain aware. Normally, this is only accomplished with the use of lyrium or blood magic, but I have developed a meditation technique to allow us to do so without such aid.”

“I see… but how will this help my spellcasting, exactly?” Nadiya asked. Solas smiled and replied, “Your power comes from the Fade, where will alone can shape the world around you. Perhaps if you spent some time casting spells there, it could help you master your magical skills.”

Nadiya considered his words for a moment; it did sound like a good idea, but… her dreams hadn’t been too pleasant as of late, she worried about traveling to the world those dreams came from. Still, she needed to get better at her magic, so Nadiya nodded and responded, “Alright. I suppose it’s worth a shot.”

“We’ll need to find somewhere comfortable to lie down in. Would you prefer my quarters or yours?” Solas asked. Nadiya shrugged and replied, “Yours is closer, so those will work.”

With that, they headed for the elven mage’s quarters: a simple cabin that he shared with another mage in the Inquisition, who thankfully was out at the moment. Solas gestured to one of the beds, presumably his, and asked, “Would you be more comfortable laying down or sitting on the floor?”

“I suppose laying down if this involves sleeping.” Nadiya said with a shrug. She laid down on the bed, which wasn’t uncomfortable but wasn’t as good as hers, she noticed, and asked Solas as he pulled up a chair to sit next to the bed, “So what now?”

“Now, you focus your mind. Concentrate on the Fade, on your memories of it. Your memories of dreams should do for now. Even your breathing, take in slow, deep breaths, and just relax.” Solas advised. He gave her more advise of a similar nature as Nadiya did as he said until she couldn’t really hear his voice anymore and felt herself slip into sleep. A moment later, Nadiya opened her eyes to find herself standing up, looking around Haven. 

At first, it appeared to be normal, but then Nadiya noticed the green tint to the sky, beyond the Breach, and how some of the buildings were distorted or oddly shaped.  _ This is the Fade _ , Nadiya thought, gazing at her surroundings in wonder. After a moment, she realized Solas was not there. She called out for him but received no response.

“Huh. I thought he would come with me. Maybe that’s not how it works? Ah well, I should still try to practice.” Nadiya related to herself with a shrug. She focused on making a flame, and almost immediately one flickered to life between her hands. Laughing joyously at her success, Nadiya attempted to make the flame bigger, growing its intensity until she had a raging ball of fire. Then, she cast it out; it hit the snow pile across from her, immediately melting the pile. Nadiya took a moment to celebrate her success, then got back to practicing.

She made more fire and experimented with their forms, then tried a shield. It came up as a semi-transparent green bubble around her, which seemed hard to the touch. As she dropped it, Nadiya thought she heard something in the background. Her elongated ears twitched as she paused to listen, trying to see what the noise had been when she heard it again: quiet wailing.

Worried and curious at the same time, Nadiya followed the sound, wondering if it was someone having a bad dream. The noise was coming from the Chantry, which was shut by two immensely large doors. Willing them open, Nadiya stepped in to find a cloaked figure kneeling on the ground, sobbing. Nadiya walked towards them, softly saying, “Hello? Are you okay?”

The figure paused, then sat up a bit before standing- no,  _ floating _ up. As they turned, Nadiya immediately realized her mistake. This was no dreamer, it was a demon, a despair demon. As the hunched and deformed demon looked at her, Nadiya took a step back and cursed, “Fenedhis,” before bolting out of the Chantry.

She felt cold, suddenly, and saw the demon whirl over her head on a wave of ice before landing in front of her. Nadiya tried to turn and run but was struck by a blast of ice and wind before she could. She felt frozen, hopeless, dead inside. There was nothing to do now but accept it. She would die here, no idea who she was, and the demon would use her to destroy Haven. She couldn’t-

Suddenly, the cold and darkness were gone, replaced by the warmth of a fire and Solas’s worried face. He was holding her, propping her up into a sitting position on the bed, a fire raging in the fireplace nearby. Nadiya realized she was freezing and shivered and asked Solas, “Wh-what happened?”

“Lethallan, I am- I am so sorry. If I had known I wouldn’t- are you okay? Did the demon hurt you?” He asked, worry written across his features. Nadiya felt something in her heart, a pang of some kind, and swallowed before saying, “I’m fine. Mostly. Just shaken up and cold, really. But what happened? I remember finding the demon, getting hit… it felt so cold and… hopeless.”

“The demon you found was one of despair. I sensed it attacking you and pulled your mind out of the Fade. I- I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you, Nadiya.” Solas spoke sincerely. Nadiya frowned a bit and said, “It’s okay Solas, you did save me. But why weren’t you there? Was there a reason why?”

“... I’m not sure, honestly. I tried to find you in the Fade, but… I couldn’t.” Solas explained.

“Is that normal?” Nadiya asked.

“No… But, perhaps we merely were in separate areas of the Fade. It has been known to happen.” Solas reasoned, but didn’t sound convinced himself. Nadiya nodded and replied, “Perhaps that was it then.”

It was at that point they both seemed to realize the position they were in. Solas was sitting on the bed next to Nadiya, cradling her in his arms with his face very close to hers. Nadiya’s ears and cheeks reddened a bit and Solas quickly moved away, saying, “I apologize, I didn’t-”

“It’s fine, I- uh- it’s fine. Well, thank you for saving me at least. Oh! I did get to practice a bit while I was there. Maybe we could practice some more?” Nadiya said, standing up from the bed. Solas nodded a bit and responded, “If you would like, we can.”

And so they went outside, which was refreshing to see for Nadiya, glad to be back in the real world. She attempted to make a fireball, and while it was not as easy as it had been in the Fade, the flame at least remained for a good minute before sputtering out. Solas smiled at Nadiya and told her, “Very well done, Lethallan.”

“Thank you, Lethallin,” the word rolled off her tongue easily, surprising Nadiya, but she simply smiled and continued, “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have gotten to this point.”

“Nonsense, you were the one who did the work. I merely instructed you.” Solas stated, but something changed in the way he looked at her, he smiled more sincerely and a warmth of sorts lit up his silver eyes. Nadiya took a breath, then smiled back at Solas before saying, “Well I… I should go. My history tutor wanted me to read one of Genitivi’s books and if I don’t have it finished soon… Well, you know how those scholarly types can be. All work and no play. Thank you again Solas.”

She smiled brightly at him, then turned to leave. Nadiya turned back to wave goodbye to Solas, then noticed a hint of sadness on his features before they were masked with a smile as he waved back. A bit confused, Nadiya kept on walking, wondering silently why Solas had looked at her like that.


	4. Heralds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off: my apologies for being so late with the update, life has been a wee bit hectic. Second: I have an editor now! Everyone say thank you to dear Percy (aka direhund) for helping me tweak this chapter and flesh out my characters. I may also go back and edit past chapters with his help, but I'll let yall know if I do.

The Inquisition soon sent aid to Redcliffe and the Crossings in the Hinterlands, both to help those fleeing the war between the mages and Templars and to gain the support of Revered Mother Giselle, one of the few Chantry figures who had not outright denounced the Inquisition as a heretical movement. 

Nadiya found the Mother a well enough woman; kind, wise, and respectable. But she seemed to believe, like many others in and outside of the Inquisition, that Nadiya had been sent by Andraste or the Maker in their hour of need. Nadiya herself was unsure of that. Sure, she lacked the memories needed to technically disprove the theory, but the thought of her being sent from some foreign god or his bride just seemed so odd to Nadiya.

Besides, she wasn’t even sure if she believed the tales the Chantry taught. Obviously, Andraste had been real, but were her victories won from tactical prowess or holy influence? The Chantry seemed convinced of the latter, but Nadiya wasn’t sure of anything. Still though, Andraste seemed an admirable figure, and to be compared to her in some small way was honorable to Nadiya.

And Mother Giselle seemed to respect that and Nadiya as well. Although they disagreed on the matter of her holiness, Nadiya found herself drawn to her. The woman practically radiated warmth and love, after all. She supposed that was why she was a Revered Mother. Solas seemed to disapprove of Nadiya’s fondness with the Mother, however. Not the Mother herself, just her connection to Nadiya. 

It was somewhat strange; when Nadiya questioned him on it, he merely shrugged and replied that he would rather her perspective not be tinted by the Chantry’s influence, should she turn out to be Dalish after all. It was confusing for Nadiya; as much as she valued Solas’s opinion and advice, she didn’t want to outright ignore everything about the Chant of Life. Nadiya felt it would behoove her to learn everything she could about this world and the powers in it, including the Chantry.

And that knowledge would hopefully serve her well, as the Inquisition saw fit to meet with the remaining clerics in Val Royeaux to discuss a possible alliance. As she was the one many were discussing now, Nadiya and the Inner Circle thought it would be best for her to come along- with ample protection, of course. She was still the Chantry’s number one suspect in the murder of the Divine. In fact, it was entirely possible Nadiya could be arrested as soon as they encountered the clerics.

She pushed these worries to the back of her mind as she, Solas, Cassandra, and Varric arrived in Val Royeaux. The city itself was breathtaking, with grand sculptures and architecture that Nadiya marveled at. The people were dressed to almost match the finery of the city, adorned in fine suits and dresses and wearing elaborate masks that hid their faces. But they made their emotions clear to Nadiya when one woman screamed and fled as soon as she saw them approach. 

“Just a guess, Seeker, but I think they all know who we are.” Varric quipped as he watched the woman flee. 

Cassandra rolled her eyes and replied, “Your skills of observation never fail to impress me, Varric.”

Just then, an Inquisition scout approached them, kneeling before Nadiya as she said, “My Lady Herald.”  
  
“Oh! Oh, there’s no need for that, really. It’s okay.” Nadiya quickly said. She didn’t like how some put her up on a pedestal, as though she was someone holy or powerful. As the scout stood back up, Cassandra asked her, “You’re one of Leliana’s people. What have you found?”  
  
“The Chantry Mothers await you, but… so do a great many Templars.” The scout reported. Nadiya was surprised; from what she had learned, the Templars had abandoned the capital and gathered in their headquarters. What were they doing here? 

“There are Templars here?” Cassandra asked, similarly surprised. The scout nodded and replied, “People seem to think the Templars will protect them from… from the Inquisition. They’re gathering on the other side of the market. I think that’s where the Templars intend to meet you.”

Nadiya gulped nervously- she had never met a Templar before, but one of the main things she learned about them was that they did _not_ like mages. Cassandra thanked and dismissed the scout, then tutted in aggravation and said, “They wish to protect the people? From _us_?”

“Apparently so. I only hope their way of protection does not involve violence… But we should be prepared for anything.” Nadiya advised. 

“You think the Order has returned to the fold, maybe? To deal with us upstarts?” Varric questioned, to which Cassandra replied, “I know Lord Seeker Lucius. I can’t imagine him coming to the Chantry’s defense, not after all that’s occurred.”

With that they continued on into the market, eventually encountering a large crowd of civilians surrounding a stage where a few clerics and templars were gathered. As Nadiya and her companions approached, they could hear one of the clerics addressing the crowd, “Good people of Val Royeaux, hear me! Together we mourn our Divine, her naive and beautiful heart silenced by treachery! You wonder what will become of her murderer. Well, wonder no more!”  
  
_Oh dear,_ Nadiya thought worriedly as the cleric’s vengeful eyes fell upon her before continuing her speech, “Behold the so-called Herald of Andraste! Claiming to rise where our beloved fell. We say this is a false prophet! The Maker would send no elven mage in our hour of need!”  
  
“I never claimed to be sent by the Maker! All I want is to bring peace back to Thedas and seal the Breach!” Nadiya insisted, calling out to the cleric and the civilians in the crowd. Cassandra stepped up to support her, saying, “It’s true! The Inquisition seeks only to end this madness before it is too late!”  
  
“It is already too late! The Templars have returned to the Chantry! They will face this ‘Inquisition,’ and the people will be safe once more!” The cleric shouted as she gestured her arm out towards a group of Templars approaching, their silver armor blinding in the midday sun. Nadiya grew even more concerned when they mounted the stage, but was taken aback when instead one Templar walked up behind the main cleric and struck her on the back of her head. The woman cried out in pain and crumbled to the ground as the crowd reacted with shock. 

“Still yourself; she is beneath us.” The lead Templar said to another, younger one who seem horrified by what was going on. Nadiya quickly recovered from her daze and stepped up to face the Templars, demanding, “What is the meaning of this? I thought you Templars were supposed to protect the weak and innocent, not attack Chantry clerics.”

“Her claim to authority is an insult. Much like your own.” The man, older with black and graying hair and a scarred face, answered her. He walked off the stage and Cassandra followed him, saying, “Lord Seeker Lucius, it’s imperative that we speak with-”  
  
“You will not address me.” The Lord Seeker cut Cassandra off. Surprised, she asked, “Lord Seeker?”  
  
“Creating a heretical movement, raising up a puppet as Andraste’s prophet, you should be ashamed. You should all be ashamed! The Templars failed no one when they left the Chantry to purge the mages! You are the one who has failed! You who’d leash our righteous swords with doubt and fear! If you came here to appeal to the Chantry, you are too late. The only destiny here that demands strength is mine.” Lord Seeker Lucius ranted as he glared daggers at Nadiya. 

She held her ground, however, and spoke, “And here I thought you might be a reasonable man. Cassandra had spoken highly of you, but I see now that you are nothing more than a raving, power-hunger lunatic, bent on nothing more than your own advancement at any cost, even your honor and integrity. Take your Templars and go. Val Royeaux needs no protection from the likes of you.”  
  
It was a dangerous thing to say, here of all places, where they were easily outnumbered by the templars and civilians alike, but something in Nadiya’s soul burned as she listened to the Seeker. Her words had streamed from her like fire from the maw of a dragon, unceasing and unstoppable. The Lord Seeker seemed shocked for a split second, then he became enraged, and almost looked like he might order his men to take up arms, but eventually, he simply said, “Enough of this! You have shown me nothing, and the Inquisition… less than nothing. Templars! We march!”  
  
With that, he led his men away and out of the city, amid quiet and stunned whispers that only grew in volume as they left. Once the Templars were gone, Nadiya let out the breath she had been holding and said, “Well… that could have gone better. I didn’t mess things up, did I?”  
  
“No, no, I don’t think you could have reasoned with the Lord Seeker… something is wrong here. I know Lord Seeker Lucius and this… this is most odd. We should return to Haven and inform the others of what has happened here.” Cassandra answered her. Nadiya nodded and cast one more glance to the marketplace, the atmosphere heavy and energized with fright, then turned to leave.

Before she could, however, Nadiya encountered a few… strange things. The first: a cryptic note attached to an arrow that had nearly hit her asking to meet her and stop some bad person. The second was a messenger for Madame Vivienne de Fer, inviting them to meet with the First Enchanter at the estate of some Duke. Nadiya was considering which to investigate first as she and her companions were leaving the marketplace of Val Royeaux when she heard an Orleasian-accented voice call out to them, “If I might have a moment of your time?”

“Grand Enchanter Fiona?” Cassandra questioned as they stopped to speak with the elven mage, aghast. Solas tilted his head in surprise, asking, “Leader of the mage rebellion. Is it not dangerous for you to be here?”  
  
“I heard of this gathering, and I wanted to see the fabled Herald of Andraste with my own eyes. If it is help with the Breach you seek, perhaps you should look among your fellow mages.” Fiona answered. Nadiya smiled hesitantly and said, “Please, just call me Nadiya. I am Herald of none, I promise you. So you are the one who leads the mages then? My tutors spoke of you, but I did not expect I would get a chance to meet with you so soon.”  
  
“Tutors?” Fiona questioned, raising a brow. Nadiya nodded and explained, “Ah yes, I suppose it wouldn’t be among the gossip circulating- I have no memories before the Breach. Solas and I have theorized that it may have been caused by the Breach- pure Fade magic has been known to drive mages mad, perhaps it affected me by removing my memories. So I do not actually know much about you, First Enchanter, besides your title and the fact that you lead the mages who rebelled against the Templars.”  
  
Fiona seemed surprised, but nodded and replied, “I suppose that makes sense. How odd- and unfortunate, of course. You have my sympathies. But we can discuss this more in Redcliffe. I ask that you come and meet the mages. Perhaps we could help each other; I hope to see you there. Au revoir, my Lady Her- ah, Nadiya.” 

Nadiya parted ways with Fiona, leaving to meet with the First Enchanter in the chateau of one Duke Bastien de Ghislain. There, after being verbally accosted by some duke, Nadiya met Vivienne, leader of the Loyalist mages, First Enchanter of the Montsimmard Circle, Enchanter to the Imperial Court, and an absolute _vision_. To say Nadiya was taken by her was an understatement for sure. She couldn’t help it! The power, the confidence, the looks; she was perfect. Although Nadiya disagreed with her opinions on mages- while Nadiya wasn’t as invested in their plight as other mages, she still felt they deserved the chance to be free, even with the risk- she respected the woman and almost immediately agreed to have her join the Inquisition as one of her travel companions. 

After leaving the chateau, the party looked into the leads provided by the mysterious arrow-message. They lead them to the home of some Orleasian noble, who seemed very confident in his ability to destroy the Inquisition, but was ultimately silenced by an arrow in the face. The one responsible, a young and odd elven girl named Sera, revealed she was the one who provided the clues because she wanted to see if Nadiya really “glowed.”

Apparently, she was a part of some sort of disorganized order of common folk who rebelled against nobles who abused them, called the Red Jennies. Sera was the de facto leader- or perhaps an ambassador- of the order and offered the Jennies' help to the Inquisition, as well as her own services as an archer, rogue, and general troublemaker. Somewhat hesitantly, Nadiya agreed, and soon enough the group found themselves on the way back to Haven with two new companions in tow and a lot to think about.

The events that had transpired played back in Nadiya's head amid a flurry of thoughts and realizations; the Chantry’s rally against them, the Templars madness, and Grand Enchanter Fiona’s strange appearance. It was all… disconcerting. As much harm as the Chantry was doing now, Nadiya had learned it was considered one of the stabilizing factors in Thedas and for good reason. Andraste had united the tribes of ancient Thedas against the corrupt Tevinter Imperium, and today her Chantry worked to keep the peace throughout many conflicts. 

And the Templars were supposed to be a part of that! Protecting the faith from the wicked and demons, watching over the mages and preventing another Tevinter Imperium. But now they had gone rogue, convinced that “purging the mages” was the only way to go about things. And Fiona… now that she had considered it, her appearance in Val Royeaux had been extremely odd. She was the leader of the rebel mages, to come to Val Royeaux- the heart of the Chantry- was an extreme risk. The idea that she risked capture to deliver a simple message seemed odd to Nadiya.

These thoughts plagued Nadiya as she rode her horse on the trail back to Haven, and Solas seemed to take note as he rode up next to her and asked, “Problems, Lethallan?”

“Oh, Solas. No, no, I was just… thinking. A lot has happened and I… I don’t know, it’s all just so much.” Nadiya said with a sigh. Solas nodded sympathetically, "I understand It’s very sudden and different, somewhat hard to deal with all at once, especially without any prior knowledge of this world. If I might, I would be willing to listen to your thoughts on all this. For some, talking out these sorts of things can help.”

Nadiya considered it, then nodded and began to speak, “Well obviously the meeting with the clerics didn’t go as planned; people either see us as a heretical organization protecting a murderer or a holy order lead by a prophet of Andraste. And neither of those is the case! The Inquisition just wants to end the chaos and reestablish order and I… I’m just a girl with no memories who got lucky.”

“You are wrong,” Solas said suddenly, pulling Nadiya out of her thoughts. She looked over to him to see him staring intently at her as he continued, “You are more than that. You are more than any of what they say you are. You are a survivor, a warrior, a pure soul. You are an amazing individual, no matter your lack of memories or the mark. Never forget that.”

Nadiya felt a stirring in her chest as he spoke, sounding so sure of his words as though they were facts and not his opinions. As if he knew her completely and wholly. Nadiya pulled herself from her thoughts and blinked a few times in surprise as she said, “Solas, I… Thank you. Your words are kind and a relief to me. I hope I can live up to your impression of me.”

“You already do, Nadiya.”


End file.
